


Your Love Gives Me Air

by Galrafloofandlove



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Blood, Female Pronouns for Pidge | Katie Holt, Keith (Voltron) is a Mess, M/M, Medical Procedures, Needles, Pidge | Katie Holt is a Good Friend, Pneumonia, Shiro (Voltron) is a Good Boyfriend, Stubborn Keith (Voltron)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-25
Updated: 2018-07-25
Packaged: 2019-06-15 22:08:18
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,620
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15422634
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Galrafloofandlove/pseuds/Galrafloofandlove
Summary: Keith starts to feel sick, but doesn't ask for help until it gets to the extreme.Suddenly wanted to write a Keith Sickfic, and I needed some Sheith in my life. Slight canon differences that are explained in the notes.





	Your Love Gives Me Air

**Author's Note:**

> Slight canon differences which I will explain;  
> Set after Season 6, but the castle still exists, Shiro has a new Altean arm Pidge made (basically the same), Keith still does some missions with the blade, but spends more time with team Voltron, and Shiro and Keith take turns piloting the black lion, and Krolia is mostly with the blade but stays with Team Voltron as well, and is always in contact. Shiro and Keith are “dating”- They kissed once and when Shiro can't sleep he cuddles in bed with Keith, and nobody in the castle knows this. 
> 
> My first language isn't English, so I'm sorry for any mistakes!

“I don't see why the Blade hasn't gotten information on a future Kral Zera!” Allura exclaimed. All the paladins plus Coran and Romelle were sitting in the lounge trying to decide what the next plan of action was. It had been about five movements since they defeated Lotor, and since the empire seemed to believe the prince was dead like the universe did, nobody (Not even Keith, Krolia or anybody with the Blade) knew why a Kral Zera wasn't taking place. The Galra Empire was still split up into rebel groups, with Haggar taking control of some of the major areas and bases after Lotor's disappearance. Currently her and Sendak held the most control over parts of the empire, the rest being split into smaller Galra groups trying to gain control of more and more planets and bases. Keith was still in his blade uniform, having just come back from a mission. He spoke a little slower than usual, but nobody thought much of it and chalked it up to being tired after a mission. “I don't understand either, Princess. The last Kral Zera after Zarkon was killed took place almost immediately. It just doesn't make any sense.” He said, crossing his arms around his chest and slumping against the couch behind him. Shiro, who was sitting next to him, put his flesh hand on Keith's shoulder when he saw the red paladin starting to get flustered. Romelle was the first to speak after a short silence. “Maybe it's that witch’s doing.” She said, a bit of anger lingering in her tone. The blonde Altean was the one who held the most hatred of Haggar within the small group. It was understandable, she still wasn't completely over the lost of her brother, and Keith wasn't going to judge her for not liking the emeny. "I don't believe so. Haggar hasn't been seen outside of the base she has set up to be her main host of operations. But, I wouldn't hold it against her to try and stop a Kral Zera.” Pidge said, pushing her glasses up further on her nose as she spoke, leaning forwards so her elbows rested on the top of the white table they used for meetings like this and Allura shook her head and rubbed the creases forming on her forehead. “This all is just too confusing. I'm going to bed. I suggest you all do the same.” Her voice was tired and coarse, and she sighed as she stood up and left the room, and Romelle was the next to leave as well. Hunk just looked to Pidge and Lance. “Wanna help me code a broken sentry to tell dad jokes?” He said to the other two with an innocent expression. Both Pidge and Lance smirked and headed out the door, and Hunk could be heard yelling “Hey guys, wait for me!” down the hall until the door swished closed. “I’m...going to head to bed.” Keith said dryly, relieved to finally sleep after feeling quite tired all day. He heard the door swish open as he turned around to wave goodnight to Shiro, but instead saw the black paladins slowly mouthing “Love you”. Keith smiled and mouthed the words back, moving his lips just enough that Shiro would know what he was saying. He turned back and walked down the hallway, hearing the door close behind him. 

As he was walking down the hall to his room, he became more and more aware of his breathing. Sure, the castle halls were quiet at this time of their night cycle, but hearing your breathing so clearly and becoming increasingly aware of how fast your body is letting air in and out wasn't normal. At least, it wasn't normal for Keith. He stumbled into his room, his breathing slowing as he fell onto his bed. He struggled taking one deep breath before closing his eyes and falling asleep right away. 

~~~~~~

“The Blade has some information about the Kral Zera.” Krolia said, sitting in the lounge with Shiro, Keith, Allura, Romelle and Coran. Coran hadn't wanted Romelle to join them, and neither had Allura. Like Krolia usually does however, she convinced the two to have the younger girl join in on the talk. There wouldn't need to be a Kral Zera this early without her and her information on Lotor, after all. Krolia had decided to sit next to her son, on the end of one side of the couch, and watching him and Shiro carefully. One, she knew for a fact Keith had a crush on Shiro since they had been in space. After all, she saw his memories, including the memories of him blushing a cherry red whenever Shiro hugged him, and she noticed the mutual stammering upon seeing each other. Two, they weren't as subtle as they liked to think. Krolia saw them holding hands under the table, getting lost in each other's gaze, and the way they both stayed in an area together until all the paladins left, or they left minutes apart. Allura’s eyes visibly grew at Krolia’s information. “Really! Oh that's great. Please, tell us.” Allura’s voice was much happier than the meeting last night. Also since last night, Keith's tired feeling has only spiked, and he woke up in the morning with a coughing fit. Then another coughing fit hit him right before this meeting, and luckily both were in the safety of his own room. The only time he remembered that he was ever really sick was when he was fifteen, at the Garrison. He had caught the flu, and the second Shiro heard him have a coughing fit he sent him to the infirmary. Shiro had to go out that weekend for recruiting kids to the Garrison from schools about two hours away, so Shiro's boyfriend was assigned to take care of Keith. He had been tucked into bed, lights out, and basically just slept the little flu out, and Shiro's boyfriend had woken him up for food and water. To this day, that's the only time Keith remembered that he was actually sick. Everything else was just small colds and the like. Krolia nodded at Allura’s excitement. “A Blade spy from inside Haggar’s command central has overheard that the Kral Zera will occur in two quintants. Another Blade with some of Sendak's crew had confirmed the same date. The Blade is already working on a plan that involves Voltron. I'll need to be in the field.” Krolia explained. Keith’s suddenly felt weak and his chest tightened. Shiro was the first to notice and placed a hand onto Keith's shoulder. His face was notably bright red in color. Krolia leaned over to look in her son's eyes. “Keith, I'll be safe on the field. I'll make sure I'm put in the less dangerous work. I will never leave you again.” She said, placing a finger just under Keith's right cheek and following it down to his collarbone. It was something that calmed Keith down, as she had learned on their time on the space whale. Keith just nodded slowly and Shiro removed the hand from his shoulder, instead favoring linking his hand with Keith's out of sight from the others. Somewhere, deep down in his mind, he knew that his breakdown was from some kind of sickness. The rest of his mind, however, believed for a fact that it was from Krolia being in the field. 

~~~~~~

Of course, with Keith’s luck, he was stuck with Lance for the attack on the Kral Zera. The Blade had set up explosions like the last Kral Zera, but this time they were scattered scarcely around. Shiro, piloting black, would find Haggar and Sendak, along with Pidge and the Green Lion’s cloaking. Hunk and the Yellow Lion were assisting the Blade on finding locations for critical attack points, and Allura and Lance had been assigned to deal with the incoming Galra ships coming for backup. And since Keith said he wanted to help with Voltron this time, he got stuck back lion driving with Lance. A shiver ran down his spine as Lance gripped Red's controls roughly and doing a barrel roll while the waited for the backup ships to arrive. "LANCE!" Keith yelled at the blue paladin, holding on to a handke on the wall of the lion for passangers. The words came out much hoarser than he'd like to publicaly admit. "Relax, Keith. I've gotten used to Red here." He said with a cocky grin aimed in Keith's direction that caused the ever-growing soreness in his throat make itself present as he swallowed. Since the night of the planning, Keith had gone to bed with Shiro holding him in his arms. His tiredness had gotten slowly worse, and he had the occasional tight chest and cough that produced thick green mucus. Luckily, nobody had heard or seen him cough, and after all he didn't feel like he was dying. But since the attack had started, Keith got a small, freezing cold shiver down his spine. It had only happened once, twice if you count when it just happened when he was nearly thrown around the lion. But he figured it was just adrenaline from the fight. As Galra cruisers and fighter jets started to appear, the Red Lion took off as Keith shouted orders at Lance, on where to shoot and where opposing shots were coming from so he could dodge. Shiro’s voice came over the intercom in their helmets as a fleet had just been finished. Keith sat down on the floor of the Red Lion, feeling a little dizzy. Lance didn't seem to notice. 

“Kral Zera was a slight success. No one was crowned but Sendak and Haggar have disappeared. Sendak with major injuries” Shiro said into the Paladin’s helmets. They all cheered, and Keith let out the smallest sound of joy before Shiro said something that caught his attention. “We all bloomed just like a flower out there.” Shiro said.

The whole team could hear Pidge's eyes roll from across the intercom. “Stop using poetry analogies Shiro.” She said dryly, but there was a hint of laughter in her voice. Keith just responded to Shiro’s coded message. “Shiro, there's blood everywhere and you're talking about flowers.” He smirked, regaining his strength enough to stand up. Since they were 'dating’ in secret, they had a code for “I love you”. When Shiro said flowers, and Keith said blood, it was just them saying I love you after a successful mission. They suspected Allura was growing curious about them, but the rest of the team didn't seem to notice. It was nice, just to have something to tell each other in public, even if it were cheesy. 

~~~~~

“Keith, are you sure you're alright? I have never seen a human do that!” Allura said, with a slight hint of panic spiked in her voice. Allura had walked into Keith's room as he was in the middle of a coughing fit to give him information. It had been another two quintants since the Kral Zera, and Haggar and Sendak had disappeared since then. Since the Kral Zera, Keith had woken up a few times in the middle of the night shivering, but he just pulled a blanket over himself and tried to sleep again. His coughing fits grew more and more violent, but he still felt just fine, so he just continued about his normal day. "I promise Allura, I'm fine. It's something humans do.” Keith assured her, hoping she wouldn't tell the others. Allura sighed and nodded. "Alright. Your mother already told us that Haggar has been spotted off her main base of operations. Krolia wants you to return with her to the Blade base for a mission in the morning.” Keith nodded. “I'll be in the loading dock in a minute.” He said, and Allura turned to the door and left without a word. He grabbed a small, old and rusty dog tag from under his bed (The only thing from Earth besides his clothes that he has). It was almost like a secruity blanket, a good luck charm for missions. He quickly stuffed it in his pocket, and ran out his room to the loading bay. 

~~~~~~

After being briefed on a mission for gathering information from a abandoned shipping dock from when Lotor was emperor, Keith went back to his room in the Blade base. Although he had his bedroom in the castle, the Blade also continued to provide him one. He threw his jacket down on the floor and shook as chills ran down his spine. He brushed it off for a second before he realized he wasn't breathing. He panicked before trying to take a deep breath in. However, when he tried to breathe out, he was sent on his knees holding his chest as violent hacking coughs escaped him, before finally he coughed up liquid with a red tint on the floor of his bedroom. Even more chills ran down his spine as he felt another hacking fit coming up his throat and tried to get some- hell, any- air into his lungs. The sound of his door opening was so muffled from the sound of his ragged coughing fits that he didn't even hear when Krolia entered and started yelling his name and running towards where he was doubled over on the floor. He felt his mother’s hands trying to stabilize him upwards as black spots grew into his vision. He heard her call his name one more time before his vision turned completely black. 

~~~~~~

He woke up looking at a dark purple ceiling with purple lights scattered about. He felt a hand on his back and under his knees, and it was only then he realized someone was carrying him. It didn't take long to find out who, as when he looked up to the person's face he saw his mother's eyes gazing lovingly at him as she continued to walk in what Keith could only think was a hallway in the Blade headquarters. When he tried to speak, he became aware of the trouble he had breathing, and his raspy voice. “W-where are we-” he was interrupted by a cough, but luckily it didn't send him into a fit. “go-going?” He finally spit out after attempting to clear his throat and giving up right away at the excessive pain in his chest. Krolia smiled down at him. “To the Med Bay. You were choking on blood I believe.” She said, picking up her walking pace. Keith’s face turned slightly red of embarrassment, before he responded, his voice cracking and still extremely hoarse. “I'm fine. Just a cold.” Krolia didn't respond to that, but it seemed like she didn't believe him. “I refuse to go to the med bay.” He said after a while with no response, and he attempted to struggle out of his mother's hold. She only tightened her grip, showing no signs that Keith was even close to leaving her arms. “I'll strap you into an examine table if I have to. You need help.” Keith tried to groan but coughed instead as Krolia took his hand and placed it on a sensor panel, Keith’s bare skin being scanned. This was when it occurred to him he wasn't in his Blade suit- he was simply in the gray t-shirt and black jeans he had changed into once he reached the Blade base. The medical staff could poke and prod him as much as they pleased. As much as Keith hated doctors on Earth, usually doctors in space were worse. Once the door opened, Krolia took her son's hand off the panel and entered, still carrying him. Out of the corner of his vision, Keith saw a Galra female snap her fingers to other Galra in the room, and they immediately laid a dark purple blanket over a long metal table. He could see other tables scattered around the room as well, but he lost sight of them when Krolia gently laid him down on the table, head laid carefully on a pillow. His arms fell limp at his side, and he decided it was no use trying to fight it anymore. The Galra Keith had seen command the others was a tall lady with her black hair into a braid cascading down her shoulder, dark green eyes and small dark purple fuzzy ears on top of her head, in between lilac purple skin and pitch black hair. She had the usual blade uniform, except her hood and mask were both down. She picked up a small device from a cart next to her, and turned it on so a bright light shone out of one end. She opened each of Keith's eyes to check his pupils, then nodded as she grabbed something else from the cart next to her. Just as Keith started to relax, he felt a sharp pinch from his left arm that could only be a needle into his skin. He flinched at the sudden pain. “What the hell was that?!?” He shouted at the Galra woman, his voice coming out even more raspy and weaker than he remembered from eariler. Krolia interjected before the woman could answer. “Keith, Xaphe knows what she's doing, I've known her for a long time. That was just a painkiller she injected,you're okay.” Krolia assured her son. The woman, who Krolia had called Xaphe, just nodded as she threw the needle back on the cart. She picked up a small, thin metal stick from the cart once Keith had relaxed again from the injection. "Open your mouth, please.” Xaphe said, looking at Keith with the metal stick in her hand. He hesitantly followed her orders, and she stuck the metal stick passed his lips and just to the beginning of his throat he second it was open, leaving the end of the stick out of Keith's mouth. He gagged a little before she pulled it out after a second, and looked to Krolia. "Isn't 100.7 degrees quite feverish for a human?” Xaphe said quietly. Krolia nodded and looked at Keith again, noticing the sparkle was drained from his gentle violet eyes. Keith felt Xaphe’s hand crawl up his bare chest from the bottom of his shirt, and he tensed up more than he probably should have. “Take a breath in Keith-” Xaphe started, and Keith did as she instructed, feeling her hand on his chest as it rose with air. “Now, breathe out.” Xaphe finished, and as air started to escape Keith's airways like normal, a large coughing fit sent him sitting up and drops of red liquid drip down from his mouth and onto his lips. Xaphe had removed her hand from Keith's chest when he sat up, and she grabbed a cloth and wiped the droplets of blood before they dripped down his chin. "Keith, lay down, please.” Krolia said, reaching out and helping him set his head back onto the soft pillow. “I'll have Kolivan call Team Voltron to help. He's in no good condition-” he heard Xaphe go on, but he only focused on how cozy the blanket under him felt right now as he closed his eyes. He felt another sharp pinch to his left arm, but didn't mind it as much this time. He fluttered his eyes open slowly and could ser his mother's face above him. “She gave you a sedative until the others come to help…” Keith knew she was saying something else, but his vision grew blurry and his hearing turned into static. He felt himself drift into sleep as his vision turned black once again…

~~~~~

His eyes opened slowly as he tried to breath. His breath turned straight into a cough. His vision was still blurry as he heard a voice come from somewhere near him. “Keith?” The voice was soft but firm, with worry lacing it. His vision started to clear, he realized he was in the cockpit of the Black Lion, the metal on the wall and the clearing image of the pilot's seat. He was wrapped into the same dark purple blanket, he was laying on one of the small metal benches. He felt a soft touch to his cheek and looked up to see Shiro staring at him lovingly. “Resr.” He said softer this time, the worry starting to drain from his words as he placed a gentle kiss upon Keith's scarred cheek. A voice came over the com in the Black Lion. “Shiro, you're approaching the Castle. How's Keith doing?” Allura’s accent flooded Keith's ears. Shiro didn't take his gaze off Keith as he answered. “He's awake. I'll carry him to the med bay.” Keith gave a gentle smile as he closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep again. ~~~~~~ 

“Is he going to be okay?” Shiro asked Coran, who was looking at scans they had taken of Keith. When they had arrived at the castle, Shiro had carried Keith in a bridal style all the way down to the med bay. Coran had set up a medical bed for Shiro to place Keith, and Coran scanned him with a tablet before giving him what looked to Shiro like the oxygen masks they had on Earth. Coran took a final look at the scans before turning to Shiro. “His lungs are infected! Number five has told me he has something called bacterial pneumama!” The Altean man heavily butchered the Earth word. Pidge, who was sitting in the corner next to Keith’s bed, sighed. “Coran, it's pneumonia. Keith has a worse case than normal because it went untreated. He'll be fine, just give him some oxygen occasionally and have him take something me and Hunk made when Lance got that infected cut. It's basically just a space antibiotic.” She said, not looking up from her laptop. Her laptop keys clacking were the only sound in the room for a while, until Coran announced Keith should be waking up in next the four doboshes. Upon the news, Pidge picked up her laptop and sat next to Keith's bed and setting it back up on her lap next to where Shiro had been sitting since he brought Keith into the med bay. Coran left soon after, leaving Pidge to start her questioning. “Soooo… have you kissed him yet?” She said teasingly. Shiro’s cheeks turned a bright shade of red and he looked away from the green paladin, a smirk growing on her face. “I-I don't know what you're talking about!” Shiro said bluntly, the stutter completely exposing him to the youngest paladin. Pidge snorted in a laugh. “Uh huh. Matt told me Keith had a crush on you back at the Garrison. And with the whole flower and blood thing you two have been doing…” her voice trailed off, not because she didn't know what to say, but she wanted Shiro to get so flustered thinking about those missing words he admitted something. Shiro’s cheeks only grew a brighter shade of red, which Pidge didn't think was possible. He sighed and gave in. “How did you know?” He asked. Pidge snorted again. “I'm not naive, Shiro. I'm also the hacker and code breaker of this team. Your little flirting code didn't get past me that easily.” Shiro's blush started to disappear, before Pidge stood up and headed towards the door. She smirked at Shiro one last time before she left, leaving Shiro to mumble “Katie…” under his breath. 

~~~~~~

After about three doboshes had passed, Shiro started to get worried. What if Keith didn't wake up? What if he was stuck in this state forever? What if the disease is worse than Pidge said? His 'What if’s’ were cut off by the door to the med bay swishing opening, and Romelle entered. She had a light blue blanket under her right arm, and a mug in her left. Her hair was tied up into a bun, and she had a sky blue nightgown on. It was just now that it occurred to Shiro it was probably time for sleep for the others. Romelle gave him warm smile as she set the mug down next to him, and placed the folded up blanket next to the mug. Her sweet voice filled Shiro’s ears as he realized the only thing he had been hearing for doboshes was the sound of Keith's slow breathing through the oxygen mask. "I brought warm liquid chocolate and a blanket. Princess Allura would like you to get some rest, but she says you can stay and watch over Keith.” Shiro picked up the mug and saw marshmallows arranged in the shape of a smiley face- the same thing Hunk did whenever he made hot chocolate. “Thanks Romelle.” He said softly, taking a sip. “My pleasure.” She gave him one last smile before turning on her heels and walking out the door. 

~~~~~~

Shiro had the blanket around his shoulders and was sipping on the last of the hot chocolate before a machine next to Keith let out a beep. Shiro jolted up from his sitting position, spilling hot cocoa on the previously clean blanket and went to check Keith's bed for himself. His mind filled with joy and relief as he saw Keith's eyes slowly open. Keith was at first scared when he realized there was an oxygen mask on him, but relaxed when Shiro placed a gentle kiss on Keith's forehead. Shiro carefully pulled the oxygen mask over Keith's head, and Keith took a deep breath and looked relieved when only a tiny cough escaped him. Shiro decided to start explaining while he ran his fingers through Keith's soft hair. “You have pneumonia. After getting oxygen for about six doboshes, you should be able to breath stability for a while. There's an extra oxygen tank in your room and-” Shiro finally became aware of the wet tears rolling down his face. Keith's eyes began to tear up as well, but he just pulled his boyfriend into a hug as Shiro spoke between tears. “I- I just didn't want to lose you." Keith's expression softened as he looked the black paladin in the eye. “I won't die, Shiro.” Keith wiped a tear that was streaming down Shiro's cheek. He then laid back down in the medical bed, and Shiro had dried all his tears and was looking down at Keith, the love of his life, his soulmate, the light to his darkness as he wrapped Keith in the dark purple blanket that had travelled with him all the way from the Blade base. Keith gave Shiro a weak smile as the older picked him up, hand under his knees and the other supporting his neck and upper back, while still wrapped in the blanket. Keith's head rested against the warmth of Shiro's chest as he carried him out of the med bay and down a hallway leading to the Paladins’ rooms. Keith suddenly remembered what he had brought to the blade base...and he took his head off Shiro's chest for a second to grab it from his jean pocket. The dog tag was still intact, the shine of faded silver and rust. The engraving on the tag was simple. It just read “Patience yields focus”. Shiro smiled once he realized was Keith was holding. “You still have that old thing I gave you before Kerberos?” He asked, and through his voice sounded mocking, Keith could recognize the main tone was out of disbelief. Keith gave Shiro another weak smile. “Of course.” He said, his fingers tracing the metal where the engraving was. Shiro smiled, and as the look of pure happiness spread across his face Keith remembered why he fell in love with him.

**Author's Note:**

> [Tumblr](https://galrafloofandlove.tumblr.com)! || [Twitter](https://twitter.com/GalraFloof)


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